Habenaria medusae

Habenaria medusae.

Under normal conditions I usually have three tubers after the vegetation dies back. Last year, I let our Orchid Society have this plant for their annual show (just as it was starting to flower). Unfortunately the flower head was accidently sheared off whilst it was being loaded into the vehicle. The vegetative part of the plant didn't die back as normal, and remained fresh and green right up to the middle of Jan, when I cut it back. After the soil dried out I emptied the contents of the pot to see how may (if any) tubers were produced. I found one large, plump four inch tuber with signs of tiny new shoots I have since cleaned the tuber and planted it into a fresh loam compost. So, I shall have to wait and see what this year brings.

The inflorescence in the images shown were 30 inches tall.

 

I've found that the tubers vary in size depending on how many the plant produces. Sometimes I get three or four tubers, which reduces the size to around one and a half to two inches long. Several years ago I started to use a richer loam mix with small gravel stones also some leaf mold. The tubers are planted in fresh loam every year.

I can post another image to show the length of the inflorescence. Do I have to open a new post?

 

I have a friend who has a florist shop in our village, when she saw my flower she asked could she display it in her shop window, I agreed, hoping that it would create interest with her customers also that it would tempt potential orchid recruits.

The image shows the plant in the window, the inflorescence still had another four inches to grow with a few unopened buds. You may notice a cotton wool pad along the scape, this deters slugs and snails from attacking the flowers.